שמואל א, פרק כ״ב, פסוק כ״ב

In the devastating aftermath of the massacre at Nob, David faces Abiathar and expresses profound sorrow. He does not offer excuses; instead, he takes complete responsibility for the slaughter of the young priest's family. Looking back at the day he arrived in the city, David admits a fatal error in judgment. The primary approach among commentators is that David clearly noticed the presence of Doeg, a loyal servant of King Saul, and should have immediately recognized the danger. He knew without a doubt that Doeg would rush to inform the king about everything that happened.

Overwhelmed by this realization, David cries out in confession and mourning. He acknowledges that he alone set the wheels in motion for this terrible tragedy. It was his own lack of caution that directly led to the deaths of the entire family [רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. His sense of guilt is so crushing that he views his negligence almost as an intentional sin. Because he was fully aware of the threat Doeg posed yet failed to take precautions, David considers himself the direct cause of the massacre, leaving him in desperate need of atonement. This heavy burden of guilt aligns with a tradition where God directly confronts David, holding him personally responsible for the destruction of the city of priests [מלבי״ם].